I 



WOOTON AND STANDLEY FLORA OF NEW MEXICO. 443 



11. Opiintia arborescens Engelm. in Wisliz. Mem. North. Mex. 90. 1848. 



Cane cactus. 



Type locality: Northern New Mexico. 



Range: Colorado to Arizona and western Texas, southward into Mexico. 



New Mexico: Near El Rito; Organ Mountains; Mangaa Springs; Logan; San 

 Rafael; Raton; Rincon; Cubero; Santa Fe; Socorro; Fairview; Queen; Sierra Grande. 

 Plains and hills, in the Lower and Upper Sonoran zones. 



This is the common species found almost throughout the State on the mesas and in 

 the foothills of the mountains. It often stands 3 meters high or more. The stems are 

 used to some extent for the manufacture of canes, the reticulated woody part of the 

 stem giving them a peculiar appearance. A number of names are applied to the 

 plant besides the one given above. "Candelabrum cactus" is used, " tree cactus" is 

 fairly common in southern New Mexico, and "velas de coyote" (coyote candles) is 

 often used by the Mexicans. It is sometimes utiU/ed as stock feed, though rarely. 



A low form, less than 2 meters high, occurs on the mesas of southern New Mexico 

 near the Agricultural College, which may be different from the more common form, 

 but it has not yet been separated. 



12. Opiintia spinosior (Engelm. & Bigel.) Tourney, Bot. Gaz. 25: 119. 1898. 

 Opuntia wMpplei spinosior Engelm. & Bigel. Proc. Amer. Acad. 3: 307. 1856. 

 Type locality: "South of the Gila," Arizona. 



Range: Western New Mexico to Arizona and Sonora. 



New Mexico: Hermanas; Silver City; Deming; Steins Pass; "V^Tiite Water. 

 Upper Sonoran Zone. 



The species is easily confused with the preceding if one has only the descriptions to 

 work with. Professor Toumey confused them in one of his earlier publications, but 

 later corrected his mistake and pointed out very clearly the mistake made by Engel- 

 mann and Bigelow in associating the plant with Opuntia whipplei. 



Opuntia spinosior deserves ita name. It is more spiny than most of our Cylindro- 

 puntiae; though its spines are short they are numerous and close together. The 

 peculiar pinkish tinge given the stem by the color of the spines and sheaths is easily 

 recognized when once seen and is very characteristic. This species is known in New 

 Mexico only from the southwestern part of the State, where it is about the size of 

 0. arborescens. In Arizona it is frequently larger. 



13. Opuntia hystricina Engelm. Proc. Amer. Acad, 3: 299. 1856. 



Type locality: "West of the Rio Grande, to the San Francisco Mountains," New 

 Mexico and Arizona. 



Range: Western New Mexico to Arizona and California. 



New Mexico: Aztec (J5a7:fr 481). 



The specimens upon which the species was founded were collected "at the Colorado 

 Chiquito and on the San Francisco mountains," both of the localities being in Arizona. 

 Doctor Coulter does not report any New Mexican material and we have seen only one 

 doubtful specimen. It is reported here also on the authority of the first collector. 

 Doctor Bigelow. The original description says nothing about the flower, but Doctor 

 Coulter says it is yellow or purple, a statement we are much inclined to doubt. Col- 

 lectors should look for the species in the region between Albuquerque and Zuni, 

 keeping in mind its strong resemblance to Opuntia polyacantha, from which it differs 

 in the longer and more numerous spines. 



14. Opuntia sphaerocarpa Engelm. & Bigel. Proc. Amer. Acad. 3: 300. 1856. 

 Type locality: Mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Type collected by 



Bigelow. 

 Range: Ejiown only from the Sandia Mountains, New Mexico. 

 The species suggests some fcnna of 0. polyacantha, but eeems abundantly distinct. 



